Remember The Days
by Phantom Clover
Summary: Chpt 2 up. RuroKen fic with him and the others reincarnated in modern day california. Plagued by flashes of the past, Kenshin concentrates on the future. Ken/Sano (more in later chpt's). R
1. Flash Flash

Ok, it's me. I decided I needed to do a Kenshin fic, so here it is. Don't sue, I have no money. Modern setting, reincarnation. Same names for your convenience.  
  
~*~  
  
~ do you believe in reincarnation, papa-san?  
  
Of course I do, Kenji~  
  
Kenshin awoke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. He flicked the lamp on. He had been having all these dreams lately, dreams of a man who fought with fists, a woman in a kimono, and a little boy with red hair. But in every dream there was a flash of a man with yellow eyes, holding a katana. Kenshin shuddered. The man looked like him, but not.  
  
Kenshin pulled himself out of bed and padded over to the apartments bathroom. Turning on the light, he splashed some cold water on his face. He glanced at the clock. 6:02. Hmm. Might as well stay up, since he had to leave for work. Stepping out of his boxers, he got in the shower.  
  
When Kenshin got out of the shower, he tied his thick bottle-red hair (Burgundy number 5, to be exact) in a simple tail at the base of his neck, as always. He grimaced as he looked in the mirror. He looked so femme, in fact, he looked downright female. He would have to get a haircut soon..Putting on his typical jeans and green hoodie, he went out of the apartment and too the elevator. He smiled on the way down.  
  
He smiled, because, as always, the man in the apartment down the hall was in the lobby. The tall man with the wild black hair and obvious muscles. Kenshin still didn't know his name, but his heart leap every time he saw him. He could swear he knew him, and his name was on the tip of his tongue. As with everyday, the man looked up from his newspaper, his black hair sticking in all directions.  
  
"Going to work?" The man asked. He asked everyday.  
  
"No," Kenshin said mockingly "I'm going to meet my mistress in her château." He always said something different, but he was running out of ideas. But today was different. He walked over to the man and held out his hand. "My names Kenshin Himura."  
  
The man looked surprised, but took his hand and shook it firmly. "Sanosuke Sagara, at your service."  
  
Kenshin just shook his head. "I just thought it was silly to see each other everyday and not know each others names." Sanosuke. The name was so familiar.  
  
~Flash. Red. Blood. Fists. Blood. "Battousai.". Smiling. Hand. "Come back to the Dojo."~  
  
Kenshin shook his head and smiled back at Sanosuke. Sano seemed to come out a trance and said "Battousai?"  
  
Kenshin stared, but Sano just laughed. "Where did that come from? Anyway, you should be going to work, eh? I'll see you later." He picked up his paper and walked away.  
  
Kenshin got in his car, and backed out of his driving space. Battousai. It doesn't mean anything.  
  
Kenshin arrived at the skate park right on time. He smiled as he got out of the car, and waved to Yahiko, the other employee.  
  
"Hey, Yahiko. You don't look so good. Forget your morning mocha?" Kenshin teased. Yahiko was always drinking coffee.  
  
"I'll thank you to lay off the jabs, Short stuff." Yahiko retorted.  
  
"Hey, just because I'm short doesn't mean you can push me around." Kenshin grinned, and went in the gate.  
  
He loved the skate park. It was a great way to relax, skating or rollerblading, defying death and gravity in your own way.  
  
~Flash. Jump. Pain. Sword. Death. Death. High. Fall.~  
  
Kenshin put a hand to his forhead. Why did these flashes? He ignored it.  
  
"Yo, Yahiko. This place doesn't start rolling till at least noon. Wanna go for a ride?"  
  
Yahiko grinned and produced his board and Kenshins blades. Kenshin grinned, and reached for them. This was his preferred way to let off tension.  
  
~*~  
  
After work at 8, Kenshin got back into his car and took the long way home. He had lots to think about. He had continued having the flashes all through the day, and once Yahiko had said  
  
"I keep remembering a dojo and a shinai.... but I didn't know what a shinai was until just now."  
  
Kenshin shuddered. People around him seemed to be affected as much as he was. He didn't want to think about it.  
  
When Kenshin pulled his car in, he saw Sanosuke on the steps in front of the building. His heart fluttered, and he firmly squished the feeling, thinking over and over ~I'm straight I'm straight I'm straight.~  
  
He smiled at Sanosuke. "Hey. Why are you out here so late?"  
  
Sano just smiled. "No idea. I think I'll go in now, actually." When he rose, he towered over Kenshins pathetic 5'5 by at least 6 inches.  
  
Kenshin just smiled and opened the door, holding it for Sano. As they waited for the elevator, he couldn't help but notice Sano's twitching fingers. He was nervous. Where the information that Sano twitched his fingers when he was nervous came from, he didn't know.  
  
"Your fingers are twitching." He said, smiling and looking straight ahead.  
  
Sano didn't answer, but his fingers stopped twitching.  
  
When they got off at their floor, Kenshin stopped by his door, and smiled cheerfully.  
  
"Want to come in for coffee, Sano?"  
  
Sano hesitated, then shrugged and smiled like Kenshin could almost remember him doing every morning in bed..  
  
~Stop that, Kenshin. Think straight~  
  
Kenshin opened the door, and told Sano to make himself comfortable on the couch. When he had the coffee, he found Sano studying the swords adorning the wall.  
  
"Do you like them? It took forever to collect them all." Kenshin beamed proudly as he set the coffee down.  
  
Sano didn't answer, but gestured to the katana. "May I?" When Kenshin nodded the affirmative, he took the sword down and drew it. With practiced ease, he went through a few basic exercises before putting it back in the sheath.  
  
"Somehow, that doesn't seem right. Here, you try." He held out the Katana.  
  
Kenshin smiled, and took it. He had never swung the weapon before. He was just a collector. But when his hand touched the hilt, he knew he could use it. He drew it smoothly and went into a sword dance. He fell away in the exhilaration of the flowing movements. Left hand up, over swing down.. The movements were so familiar.  
  
When he returned the katana to the sheath, he heard Sano clap. "Bravo! It seems like you were born to wield it."  
  
Kenshin smiled, but stared at the katana. He had never drawn a katana in his life.  
  
~Flash. Katana. Tomoe. Pain. So much pain. Never again. NEVER~  
  
He didn't know he was on his knees till Sano touched his shoulder.  
  
"Hey, what wrong? Did I say something?"  
  
Kenshin just smiled and stood. "I'm fine. Do you want to watch a movie?"  
  
Later that night, after Sano had gone to his own apartment, Kenshin looked at the katana on the wall.  
  
~What are you doing to me?~ 


	2. Where do you work?

Back with chapter 2! Enjoy!  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin swore to himself as his car failed to start for the millionth time in 5 minutes. Groaning, he folded his arms on the steering wheel and pressed his forehead to them. A sharp tap came at the window, and he smiled to see Sano's grinning face looking in at him.  
  
"Car troubles?" He asked lightly, still grinning.  
  
"You have -no- idea, Sano. This piece of crap should have been put out to pasture before I was born!" Kenshin gave the dashboard a smack for emphasis.  
  
Sano just grinned and shook his head. "Cars always think they can outsmart us, and usually they can. Can I offer you a ride?"  
  
Kenshin practically broke his face beaming at him. "You can and will! I accept!" He sprung from the car, and on impulse, gave Sano a light hug. "you're the best."  
  
Sano smiled and his fingers twitched uncomfortably. "My car is the one over there." Sano pointed to a snazzy blue BMW convertible.  
  
Kenshin felt his jaw drop. "-That's- your car? You could buy the apartment building for what that must have cost!"  
  
Sano smiled and looked embarrassed. "My pride and joy, my ride and babe- magnet, my car." With a grin, he jumped in without opening the door. "Get in, I'll drive you to work. Where is it, anyway?"  
  
On the way, Kenshin spent the whole time practically standing in his seat, enjoying the convertible as much as he could. Arms flung behind his head, grin plastered to his face, and hair streaming behind, he was the making of a cheesy commercial.  
  
Sano, driving with one had, sunglasses on his face, the other arm flung over the door, was in theme with Kenshin. Women -and- men turned their heads and looked.  
  
"Hey Kenshin, look at those people. Have we grown horns?" Sano gestured to a gaggle of girls who were staring at them, and whispering among themselves. When the saw Sano was looking, only one of them had the decency to blush, and at least half of them waved or winked.  
  
Kenshin grinned from ear to ear, and put an arm around Sano's shoulder, which provided frowns and mutters from the girls. "Sano, I think it's hilarious. Sometimes looking like a fucking girl aint so bad." Sano laughed along too.  
  
When they arrived at the park, Sanosuke stared. "You never told me you worked at a skate park!"  
  
Kenshin smiled smugly. "You never asked. Do you want to come in and take a look?" At Sano's nod, he jumped out of the car and walked in, trusting Sano to follow.  
  
At the gates, Yahiko greeted him in the usual fashion. "Hey short stuff, who's the tough?"  
  
Kenshin grinned and pulled Sano out in front of him. "This is Sanosuke. Be nice."  
  
Sano smiled and held out a hand. "Nice ta meetcha, shorty." And sure enough, Sano towered over Yahiko almost as much as Yahiko loomed over Kenshin.  
  
Yahiko grinned and shook his hand. "Nice to see Ken-boy has at least some taste in friends. You skate?"  
  
Sano shook his head. "I can roller blade well enough, but I never got into the skate fad. College takes time away from any hobby. I'm damn glad it's summer."  
  
Kenshin beamed and broke in. "You blade? Shui! Now you gotta blade with me and 'Hiko. Come one, the place doesn't open for an hour."  
  
Both Sano and Yahiko looked dubious, but they agreed. After outfitting Sano with a pair of top-notch blades, they took to the concrete.  
  
As it turns out, Sano could not only blade, he could -blade-. He took to the half-pipe and whooped even Kenshins butt in freestylin'.  
  
"Sano, I am going to kill you. 'well enough'?! You kick ass!" Kenshin yelled across the park.  
  
Sano just grinned and skated over. "I gotta get going. My own place of business is expecting me." With that, he took of the blades and left in his BMW waving.  
  
Yahiko stepped up to Kenshin. "Your new boyfriend, I assume?"  
  
Kenshin gave a start. "Boyfriend? What the hell! I'm as straight as you are twerp! Where'd you get that idea?"  
  
Yahiko just looked confused. "I don't know. I just seem to remember him and you. Have you ever been to a ren faire and told me about it? Cause I seem to remember something about old outfits."  
  
Kenshin just stared, than shook it off. "You've been staying up to late drinking all that coffee, Yahiko. Lay off the caffeine. Well, lets get this place in gear."  
  
On his lunch break, Kenshin decided he wanted to go somewhere different. There was a nice Japanese restaurant a couple blocks away..  
  
Kenshin took his time going. He admired the scenery that is California on a sunny day. People everywhere, people of all types. Goths, punks, preps.. Everyone. There even was a lesbian couple kissing by a fountain. He smiled. California was his home. But he couldn't help wanting to see the world, go to Europe, maybe even Japan..  
  
He walked into the restaurant with a smile on his face, and was seated by a very friendly waitress.  
  
"One moment, sir, and someone will come to take your order." She said with a smile that wasn't fake.  
  
He smiled back and nodded. Looking into the menu, he made his selections and waited for a waiter. When the waiter came and took his order, he also was very cheerful. Kenshin decided he would have to come to this place more often.  
  
Near the end of his meal, a shout came from the kitchen in a very familiar voice.  
  
"I said don't let that sauce burn! Damnit, man, have some sense!" And with a flurry of an apron, the familiar face walked out.  
  
Kenshin stared and dropped his chopsticks as Sanosuke walked out of the kitchen, taking off the cap of the head chef.  
  
"Sano.."  
  
Sano looked up and gave a start himself before smiling. "Hello Kenshin. I didn't expect to see you here. I was just about to take my lunch break."  
  
Kenshin immediately stood and dropped a 20 on the table. "That should cover it.. Now you have to explain why in gods name you didn't tell me you work here!"  
  
Sanosuke smiled sheepishly, and gestured to the door. "We could talk while we take a walk..?"  
  
Kenshin grinned. "Fine. But you still have to tell me."  
  
Walking out shoulder in shoulder, Sano nodded to the waiters and waitresses, who in turn gave small bows.  
  
When they were outside by the fountain Kenshin had passed on the way there, he stopped and turned, a grin obvious on his face. "Sano.. Time to tell."  
  
Sano smiled wryly. "Well, as you probably figured out, I am the head chef at the restaurant.. That's about it. I cook for a living. After seeing what a cool job you have, I didn't want to tell you I do women's work for a living."  
  
Kenshin laughed out loud. "Women's work? You cook! That's great! I can't cook at all, so I buy all my meals. And now that I know you work there, maybe I can score some for free!"  
  
Sano laughed. "Not on my watch, buddy. I don't want to pay for your full stomach. Unless, of course, you mean to pay me back by going to a movie with me."  
  
Kenshin looked at his sideways. "A movie? Are you asking me out?" He read all he needed from Sano's uncomfortable look. With a smile, he stood on his tip-toes and kissed Sano's cheek. "I'd love too."  
  
Walking away from a furiously blushing Sano, he thought to himself  
  
~I love living in the city of free love. And no more flashes either!~  
  
Life was good. 


End file.
